LOS ANGELES >> The Galen Center crowd sat in hushed disbelief, every cardinal-and-gold soul struggling to process a scene that seemed ripped straight from their worst nightmares: USC’s superstar lying crumpled on the court, clutching her right knee, her cries rising to the rafters where she hoped a banner would soon hang.

JuJu Watkins, for the better part of two seasons, seemed nothing short of invincible. The sophomore surpassed every sensible expectation with stunning grace, never wavering even as she bore the weight of an entire program. She already captivated the college basketball world, and in the process, dragged the Trojans back from the depths of obscurity to the doorstep of tournament glory, just a few short steps away from a Final Four.

That pursuit felt well within their reach through 30 wins this season and just over five minutes of Monday’s first quarter, before Watkins barreled toward the basket in transition and her right knee buckled inexplicably beneath her. Right away, she fell to the court, writhing in pain. Right away, hope took a sharp turn into dread.

The devastating confirmation from USC wouldn’t come until later, hours after the team stamped its ticket to the Sweet 16 in a bittersweet 96-59 win over Mississippi State: Watkins sustained a season-ending knee injury, and the Trojans were dealt a blow to their championship hopes.

Though, as Watkins lay screaming on the hardwood, clutching her knee, the grim reality seemed plenty clear in the moment. Her teammates surrounded her, doing their best to block her anguish from the view of nearby photographers, before trainers arrived to help her.

But there was little solace anyone could offer, then or in the aftermath.

Watkins was unable to stand on her own, so USC’s trainers carried her to the locker room. She was taken immediately to Keck Medical Center, where a magnetic resonance imaging exam confirmed the worst-case scenario.

Still, there was a game to play and a Sweet 16 bid to secure. Which USC did.